Gutter brush for street sweepers



July 14, 1925. 1,546,071

W. L. HARRIS GUTTER ABRUSH FOR STREET SWEEPERS Filed Dec. 14l 1923 Patented July 14, 1925.

UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE- WILLIAM LIPP HARRIS, OF,SPRINGFIELD, OHIO,l ASSIGNOR T THE SPRINGFIELI) MOTOR SWEEPER COMPANY, OF SFBINGFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

GUTTER BRUSH FOR STREET SWEEPERS.

Application filed December 14.-, 1923.

sweeper and are mounted on a substantiallyv vertical revolvable shaft, housed in a suitable housing attached to the side of the sweeper, and the principal object of my invention is to provide novel means for yieldingly mounting the brushv on said shaft, whereby when the sweeper is steered too close to the curb, in which the gutter broom is operating to'olean out the said gutter, the

' brush when so striking the curb, will not be injured,` nor will the ,shaft be bent, or t-he` shaft housing broken, nor will anyinjury to the brush or its parts be caused. In practice the operator watches the gutter brush continuously as a guide in steering the sweeper close to the curb of the street in which the sweeper is operating. l l Y A further -object of the invention is to provide novel means for yieldingly mounting the brush onv its shaft, whereby when the brush holding disk comes in contact with the curb the brush will change its vlateral position relative to the shaft, but will maintain its normal angularity with respect to the shaft, so as not to alter the angularity of the brush with the pavement, the brush being moved laterally in a. plane parallel with the normal plane of the brush. It has been found in actual practice that there is a certain angularity between the brush and pavement wherein the brush will give most efficient results. v f

I1will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one practical embodiment thereof to enable others to adopt landuse the same. and will summarize in the claims the novel features ofconstruction and novel combina# tions of parts. for whichV protection is desired. v

serial No. 680,704.

' In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a* conventional street sweeper showing my novel gutter brush mounted thereon. y

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the brush, and its novel attaching means to theadjacent end of its shaft showing the brushy in its normal position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section'through the brush and its novel attaching means to the brush shaft, showing same in position as-V sumed when jammed into a curb ory other obstacle.l l

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the brush and its novel attaching means.v ,y

Fig. 5 is an enlarged. detail section on the line 5 5, Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings, my novel gutter brush l is adapted to be mounted at the side of a street sweeper S, said brush 1-be ing yieldingly mounted on a. Vertical shaft 2 rotatably housed in suitable housing 2a attached to the side of the sweeper S inany desired manner, said shaft 2 and housing 2f*V being preferably disposed at a slight angle to the vertical to cause the brush l to con' tact with the pavement with an a-ngularity which will give mostv efiicient sweeping" results.

As shown7 each brush l, preferably comprises a plurality of replaceable wood segments la having outwardly Haring bristles, which segments are preferably bolted intoy a pressed steel cup lc so as to'be readily replaceable therein. Preferably, the topl face of the cup 1 is provided with an axial opening ld of relatively large diameterA for the passage therethrough ofthe end of the shaft 2,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and exterior to the opening 1d are a plurality of holes 1 9 (four being shown) equally spaced on a suitable pitch diameter. v

On the lower end of shaft 2 isa spider 3, having a hub portion 3a provided with an axialbore, which hub portion is preferably keyed to the shaft 2v so as to be rotated thereby, and is prevented from falling ofi' Integral withthe hub portion 3 is' a riml portionBb which is preferably disposed in v a plane above that of the transverse axis of the hub portion 3a, giving the spider 3 a substantially cup shaped form, and suitable openings 3 may be provided in the spider intermediate the rim 3b and the hub 3a' to give lightness to said spider 3.

In said rim 3b, disposed on a pitch circle of same diameter as that of the holes l in cup l, are a like number of holes 3, and of same diameter as the holes le.

Extending' through each aligned pair of holes le, 3d, is a bolt 4l of suitable size and .length (et such bolts being shown in the drawings), each bolt 4 being retained in place by nuts 4 which are prevented from working loose from said bolts by means of locking means t", said bolts loosely securing the'cup l to the spider S. Aronne each of said bolts l is a spring al. interposed between the adjacentl faces of cup l and spider` 3 to normally press said spider and cup apart, and springs Llc being; preferably held concentric with said bolts t by means of spacing` washers` 4d and 4a, of suitable diameter around the bolts t at each end of said springs.

VAs shown in Fig. 5, the bolt heads and nuts are preferably formed parti-spherical, so that the bolt heads and nuts form substantially ball and socket connections between the holt and the cup l or spider 3..

By using my novel means for yieldingly connecting the brush to its shaft, when the sweeper is run too close Vto the curb, the brush cup l will strike the curb C as shown in Fig. 3, and be shifted transversely or laterally of the shaft 2, without changing,` the angular-ity of the brush l with respect to the shaft 2 by reason of the arrangement of the bolts 4, and springs 40 on said bolts between the cup l, and the snider 3, which connection permits the bolts 4lto assume angular positions with respect to the shaft 2, and as the bolts ll are all of the same length the brush c l will be shifted laterally or transversely in a plane parallel with its non mal working plane.

The springs 4 tend to yieldingly press the brush l away from thespider 3, when under compression, .and cause the brush l to be restored to its normaly position coaxial with the shaft 2, `when the obstacle .is removed or when the, brush is drawnV out of contact with the curb C.

By adjusting the units 4a the tension or compression in the springs fc may be increased or decreased to vary the resist-ance of the brush l against lateral displacement, and also, such adjusting` will vary the effec,- tivei length of the bolts a to true'the brush l with the shaft 2.

Thus my yielding` brush connection will Y prevent injury to the brush, shaft, or shaft housing kwhen the brush is accidentally jammed into a curb or the like. and when so'janimed thereagainst, the brush will continue to operate equally as efficiently as in normal operation, by maintaining the same angularity with respect to the pavement or shaft at all times. YMy yielding connection is eflicient, cheap in construction, durable, and strong` in operation, and gives alonger life to the brush, shaft and shaft housing;

. l claim: j

l. In combinationa shaft; a brush; and means for yieldingly mounting the brush on said shaft, for movement axially, and transversely of said shaft and maintainingV the axes of said shaft and brush parallel.

2. In combination a shaft; a brush; means for yieldingly mounting,` said brush on said shaft for movement axially, and transversely of said shaft and maintaining the axes of said shaft and brush'parallel; and including means for adjusting the brush into normal coaxial relation with respect to. said shaft. Y

3. The combination of a shaft; a memberV mounted on said shaft; a brush; means mounting said brush'on said member for movement axially and transversely of said member, and maintaining the axes of the brush and shaft in parallel relation; and means yieldingly pressing said brush away from said member. Y

t. In combination arsubstantially vertical shaft; a member mounted transversely on the lower end of said shaft; a brush;means for mounting,` said brush'on said'member for movement axially and transversely of said member; and maintaining the axes 0f said shaft and brush in parallel relation; and including means for adjusting the brush into normal coaxial relation with respect tol said member. y Y Y Y 5. The combination of a shaft; a spider mounted transversely on said shaft; a brush; a plurality of parallel rods loosely connecting said brushand spider in normal parallel relation; springs around said rods interposed between the spider and brush,l whereby when said brush is moved transversely of said shaft the rods wil-l maintain the brush and spider in parallel relation.

6. The combination of a substantially tical shaft; a spider mounted transversely on the lower endrof said shaft; a brush; a plurality of bolts loosely connecting said brush and spiderynuts on said bolts for adjusting the spider and brush into normal 4parallel relation; springs around said bolts interposed between the spider and brush;` the heads and nuts of said bolts lbeing rounded; whereby when the brush is moved transversely of saidl shaft ,the Vbolts will maintain the brush .and spider in parallel relation. 1

7. The combination of a tical shaft; a horizontal spider mounted onY versubstantally ver,-

weV

the lower end of said Shaftya, circular Y brush; a plurality of bolts spacedv evenlyr on a circle coaxial with said shaft and loosely connecting the brush and spider; a spring around each said bolt interposed between the spider and brush; a head and a nut on each bolt for` adjusting the effective length thereof, and for adjusting the `brush into normal coaxial relation to said shaft; whereby the brush may be moved transversely of said shaft maintaining the aXes of said brush and shaft in parallel relation.

8. The combination of a substantially vertically disposed shaft; a horizontal spider mounted on the lower end of said shaft; a circular brush; a plurality of bolts loosely connecting said brush and spider, said bolts being spaced evenly on a circle concentric with said shaft; a spring around each said bolt interposed between the spider and brush; a head and a nut on each bolt for v adjusting the tension of the spring, and for adjusting the brush into normal coaxial relation to said shaft; said bolt heads and nuts being rounded; thereby permitting lateral movement of said brush with respect to said shaft, and maintaining the axis of said brush parallel to said shaft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature.

WILLIAM LIPP HARRIS. 

